Wednesday, December 30, 2009

12/30/2009 - Barksdale Air Force Base, La. -- The United States Air Force plans to regain one of its A-10 Thunderbolt II units during a reactivation ceremony at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., on Jan 7, 2010 at 3 pm.

The reactivation of the 45th Fighter Squadron, by order of the Secretary of the Air Force Mr. Michael B. Donley, will put the unit under the command of the 917th Wing Operations Group at Barksdale Air Force Base, La.

Col. Keith D. Schultz, the operations group deputy commander for the 917th WG, is scheduled as the presiding official for the ceremony.

"I'm excited about the reactivation of the 45th FS mainly because my last interaction occurred while the A-10s were taken from the unit during a transitional phase," said Lt. Col. Terry W. McClain, commander, 45th FS at Davis-Monthan. "I'm excited because I can bring the 45th FS back into the A-10 community."

The reactivation of the 45th FS will occur in support of A-10 Formal Training Unit (FTU) training. The FTU will provide Initial Qualification in the A-10 as well as Transition, Instructor Pilot Upgrade and Senior Officer Course training.

After this press release, 917th Wing Public Affairs released the following news:

45th Fighter Squadron to rejoin A-10 community

by Senior Airman Crystal Marie Jordan917th Wing Public Affairs

12/30/2009 - Barksdale Air Force Base, La. -- The United States Air Force plans to reactivate the historic 45th Fighter Squadron at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., during a ceremony on base Jan. 7 at 3 pm.

The reactivation of the 45th FS, by order of the Secretary of the Air Force Mr. Michael B. Donley, will place the unit under the command of the 917th Wing Operations Group on Barksdale Air Force Base, La.

Retired Maj. Gen. Robert A. Nester is scheduled as the guest speaker for the event.

Col. Keith D. Schultz the 917th Operations Group deputy commander will act as the presiding official for the ceremony.

"I'm excited about the reactivation of the 45th FS mainly because my last interaction occurred while the A-10s were taken from the unit during a transitional phase," said Col. McClain. "I'm excited because I can bring the 45th FS back into the A-10 community."

This unit has a rich history dating as far back as the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor Naval Station, on the Territory of Hawaii.

Throughout history, the 45th FS has aided the U.S. Armed Forces in missions at home and abroad, providing air defense during both World War II and the Vietnam War.

Today, they have a new mission. The reactivation of the 45th FS will occur in support of A-10 Formal Training Unit (FTU) training. The FTU will provide Initial Qualification in the A-10 as well as Transition, Instructor Pilot Upgrade and Senior Officer Course training.

Note: To commemorate the 50th anniversary of WW II "D-Day" on June 6, 1944, A-10 149 from the 45th Fighter Squadron, 930th Operations Group (Air Force Reserve), Grissom AFB, Indiana, received a special paint scheme. It consisted of invasion stripes similar to those worn by some of the original Thunderbolts that flew in support of the 1944 invasion of Normandy.

Revived A-10 squadron to join local wing

A historic fighter squadron has been reborn and will join an equally illustrious unit under command of the locally headquartered 917th Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base.

The new unit is the 45th Fighter Squadron, which was reconstituted this fall and will have its reactivation ceremony at 3 p.m. Jan. 7 at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. That's where the unit is based.

The squadron will fall under the command of the 917th Wing Operations Group. Col. Keith Schultz, the operations group deputy commander for the 917th Wing, is scheduled as the presiding official.

Also in attendance will be Lt. Gen. Charles E. Stenner, commander of the Air Force Reserve Command; Big. Gen. Robert S. Arthur, vice commander of the 10th Air Force; and Brig. Gen. (Select) Edmund D. "Ed" Walker, commander of the 917th Wing.

"I’m excited about the reactivation of the 45th Fighter Squadron, mainly because my last interaction occurred while the A-10s were taken from the unit during a transitional phase," said the squadron's commander, Lt. Col. Terry W. McClain. "I'm excited because I can bring the 45th Fighter Squadron back into the A-10 community."

The reactivation of the 45th Fighter Squadron will occur in support of A-10 Formal Training Unit, or FTU, training. The FTU provides Initial Qualification in the A-10 as well as Transition, Instructor Pilot Upgrade and Senior Officer Course training.

During the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the squadron was based at Wheeler Field on Oahu and had many of its P-40 and P-36 fighters destroyed on the ground. It sustained two enlisted casualties in the attack. The 47th Fighter Squadron that is with the 917th Wing at Barksdale also was at Pearl Harbor that day as the 47th Pursuit Squadron, and saw a handful of its pilots get into the air and score victories against Japanese attackers that day. The 47th also lost one of its pilots, 2nd Lt. John Dains, to friendly ground fire. Dains was one of the first combat casualties of the American phase of World War II.

One of the Pearl Harbor veterans of the 45th Pursuit Squadron was Francis S. "Gabby" Gabreski, who rose to the rank of colonel and was one of the U.S. Air Force's top aces, scoring 28 kills in World War II and 6.5 kills in the Korean War. He also survived capture by the enemy and captivity.

- From Wikipedia:In 1981 the squadron transitioned to the A-10 Thunderbolt II, affectionately called the "Warthog" by those who flew it. On July 1, 1987, the squadron was reassigned to the 930th Tactical Fighter Group at Grissom, which became the 930th Operations Group. It was an Air Force Reserve unit, and they still flew the A-10. On February 1, 1992, the squadron was redesignated 45th Fighter Squadron. Known as the "Hoosier Hogs," the pilots of the 45th FS flew their missions with pride up until September 1994. The squadron was inactivated on October 1, 1994.In September 2008, the 45th FS will be activated and attached to the 917th Wing, which is based at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana. The squadron will fly the A-10 and be assigned to Davis-Monthan AFB in Arizona. Source

- From the World Air Power Journal Special "Fairchild A-10 - Fighting Warthog", Rick Stephens, Aerospace Publishing Ltd, UK / AIRtime Publishing Inc., USA and Canada, 1995 (bought and archived by me):930th Operations Group (AFRes): Based at Grissom AFB, IN, the 45th TFS 'Hoosier Hogs' converted from the A-37B to the A-10A on 1 June 1981, marking its aircraft with an 'IN' tailcode and blue fin-flashes. On 1 July 1987, it transferred from the 434th (which became the 434th Air Refueling Wing) to the newly created 930th TFG (becoming a component of the 442nd TFW of Richards-Gebaur AFB). On 1 February 1992, unit designations changed to the 442nd Fighter Wing, 930th Fighter Group and 45th Fighter Squadron. Then, on 1 August 1992, another reorganisation took place, with the Reserve units at Grissom being restructured under the 434th Wing, with the group becoming the 930th Operations Group (OG). The 45th FS possessed 12 A-10As and six OA-10As. The 45th FS and 930th OG deactivated on 30 September 1994.

Released by 452nd Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs and Air Force Reserve Command December 24, 2009:

A KC-135R Stratotanker from the 336th Air Refueling Squadron of the 452nd Air Mobility Wing at March ARB conducts night aerial refueling training with an A-10 Thunderbolt II from the 355th Fighter Wing, Davis-Monthan AFB, over southern Arizona. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Master Sgt. Dennis Martin)Hi-res

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

A-10C Thunderbolt II 81-0950 with the 354th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron takes off at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, December 27, 2009. The A-10 is specifically designed to provide close air support for U.S. and coalition ground forces. Visible combat loadout: Sniper XR targeting pod on station 2, empty LAU-117 single launch rail for an AGM-65 Maverick on station 3, GBU-38 JDAM on station 4, GBU-12 on station 5, Mk.82 on station 7, GBU-38 JDAM on station 8, LAU-131 Rocket Pod on station 9, SUU-25 Flare Dispenser on station 10. Stations 1 and 11 are empty. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech Sgt. Francisco V. Govea II)Hi-res

12/29/2009 - KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- Whether they are conducting patrols on the ground, riding in convoys or performing clearing operations in villages to search for insurgents, coalition forces know members of the 354th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron stand ready 24 hours a day and seven days a week to provide close air support anywhere throughout Afghanistan.

This includes armed over watch, armed reconnaissance and armed convoy escort with the A-10C Thunderbolt II.

"We get to work with the guys on the ground and they're the ones who are in the heat of it all day," said Capt. Doug Witmer, a 354th EFS A-10C pilot. "It's always rewarding when we can support them and help them do their job and get home safely because, ultimately, that's their goal."

The unit has flown 2,500 sorties during their six month tour. They fly more than twice as much as they normally fly at their homestation, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz.

"The pilots and maintainers are producing twice as much as we produce when we're at homestation, which is impressive," said Lt. Col. Michael Millen, 354th EFS commander.

They have supported approximately 400 situations in which troops have been in contact with the enemy.

When a special operations convoy came under ambush northeast of Kandahar in July, two A-10s from the 354th EFS immediately flew out to support them. Both the convoy and aircraft were taking a lot of heavy machine gun fire, rocket propelled grenade fire and small arms fire. The pilots also faced challenges of low ceilings, rain showers and poor visibility.

"The pilots had to get down very low to find the friendly forces, to find the enemy and to really sort out the situation and then kill the enemy so the convoy would not take any more casualties," Colonel Millen said.

When the quick reaction force met up with them, casualties were evacuated, and the pilots began a re-attack on the enemy insurgent forces in the area.

"That's definitely the most dynamic part of our job -- when people start getting shot at, you have to be quick on the ball," Captain Witmer said. "The incredible amount of training, the high quality of training that we do back home is what gets us ready for this."

In October, special operations forces were pinned down northwest of Kandahar by insurgents who fired down at them from atop tower at approximately 20 meters away. The friendly and enemy forces were too close together for an F-16 Fighting Falcon to shoot at them during the night, but an A-10C pilot was able to engage the enemy with the fighter's Gatling gun.

"Nobody else can do that," said Colonel Millen. "There's no other fighter out there that can shoot the gun or anything else inside of 50 meters of friendly zones. It was very good work on the part of our pilots."

Colonel Millen also lauded the unit's maintainers who were able to quickly get eight A-10s ready and up in the air to protect what was left after an attack on Combat Outpost Keating in October.

"We had A-10 presence over COP Keating for about 16 hours," Colonel Millen said. "We had eight of them airborne at one time and two on alert, which is really significant. The maintainers and pilots did a great job."

The 354th EFS is the first Air Force fighter squadron to have moved to Kandahar in July, brought primarily to have major influence in the Helmand region.

"We spend most of our time here in the Helmand," Colonel Millen said. "The Helmand is fairly well populated. There are a lot of houses and a lot of people. Operations within the Helmand involve insurgents trying to shoot at U.S. patrols, British patrols, Soldiers and Marines. So you end up with all the complexities of having to separate friendly from enemy forces, and then once you find the enemy, trying to separate the enemy from the Afghanistan populace. Working in Helmand where there are lots of places to hide and lots of people have been an added measure of complexity."

Colonel Millen said he attributes the success of this unit to his Airmen.

"They trained hard in the skill sets they knew they would need in this theater and they continued to get better while here," he said. "The guys here have stepped up and done an excellent job. My hat's off to them. I've been incredibly impressed."

"Definitely, the greatest difference between being here and home is that at home it's training and here it's life and death," said Captain Witmer. "At home, if I'm not exact with my shooting, I get to try again and practice again, but over here, if you don't hit your target when you need to hit your target, then one of our coalition forces dies.

"That's the greatest difference, realizing the training's over and now you're starting to do your job."

A U.S. Air Force crew chief with the 451st Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron conducts a final inspection on an A-10C Thunderbolt II from the 354th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, December 27, 2009. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Efren Lopez)Hi-res

U.S. Air Force Capt. Richard Wilson, an A-10C Thunderbolt II pilot with the 354th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, prepares to depart on a mission at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, December 27, 2009. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Efren Lopez)Hi-res

In the cockpit of A-10C 79-0202, U.S. Air Force Capt. Richard Wilson conducts his pre-flight inspection December 27, 2009. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Efren Lopez)Hi-res

Capt. Mike Hobson performs preflight checks in the cockpit of an A-10C Thunderbolt II before taxiing out to the runway for take-off, here, December 24, 2009. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Timothy Taylor)Hi-res

A-10C 80-0142. Visible combat loadout: Sniper XR targeting pod on station 2, empty LAU-117 single launch rail for an AGM-65 Maverick on station 3, Mk.82 or GBU-38 JDAM on station 4, GBU-12 on station 5, Mk.82 or GBU-38 JDAM on station 8, LAU-131 Rocket Pod on station 9. Stations 1, 10 and 11 are empty. (USAF photo)

As mentioned by the same private source, the 122nd Fighter Wing (Indiana Air National Guard), Fort Wayne International Airport, will receive the following A-10Cs: 6 each from the 23rd Fighter Group, 23rd Wing (ACC), Moody AFB, Georgia; 6 each from the 103rd Fighter Squadron, 111th Fighter Wing (Pennsylvania ANG), Willow Grove ANGB; 6 each from the 25th Fighter Squadron, 51st Fighter Wing (PACAF), Osan AB, Republic of Korea; and "4-5 borrowed from the USAF" - whatever that means.

On December 23, 2009, from Alex I got permission to post some of his latest A-10 shots, taken at Nordhorn Range, Germany, during November and December 2009. All of these six pictures (very rare) were already first-published on German FlugzeugForum. See FF's chapter Flugplätze (Airfields), Topic NOH-RANGE, Nordhorn. And please let me start with the most-spectacular photo:

A-10C 82-0650, December 2009, firing the GAU-8/A Avenger 30mm cannon with extended flash from the muzzle. (Copyright by Alex)Hi-res

General question to all Warthog professionals (pilots, crew chiefs, other maintainers, or weapons loaders: Is such an extended flash from the GAU-8/A Avenger 30mm cannon really an exception or noth ???

Cooper, 25, was named the 2009 Ricky Culpepper Crew Chief of the Year for his hard work, dedication and professionalism while assigned to the 188th Fighter Wing Aircraft Maintenance Squadron.

Chief Master Sgt. Mike Lensing, 188th Fighter Wing Aircraft Maintenance Squadron superintendent said the primary objective of the yearly award is to recognize individuals in the career field that consistently demonstrate a number of positive attributes.

"It's certainly an honor to be chosen as Crew Chief of the Year," Cooper said. "I became a crew chief because I have always been fascinated with airplanes and I love working on them. The experience I've gained and the lessons I've learned from everyone on the flightline is unbelievable. I feel like I can go to any one of them for advice. It's definitely a great place to work."

Lensing, said the accolade was created to recognize individuals who consistently demonstrate honesty, integrity and dedication, present a professional attitude and exhibit a willingness to place the needs of others before their own.

"We try to select a person that demonstrates these qualities not only at work but within the community," Lensing said. "This award is named after Ricky Culpepper because of the example that he set for us while he was a crew chief at the 188th. He set the standard for all to follow."

The master sergeants and flight chiefs of 188th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron meet at the conclusion of each quarter to select two Crew Chiefs of the Quarter, one from each flight. Each crew chief selected for that particular honor is also a nominee eligible for the Ricky Culpepper Award.

The entire crew chief flock then casts a vote at year's end to determine the Crew Chief of the Year.

"Senior Airman Cooper's actions and deeds earned the respect and confidence of his co-workers and supervisors," Lensing said. "He was definitely deserving of this honor."

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

12/23/2009 - Maj. Robert Hetland, a weapons officer for the 47th Fighter Squadron on Barksdale AFB, Louisina, shows off the A-10 Thunderbolt II, affectionately known as the Warthog, to three aerospace students during an on-base tour of the 917th Wing on Barksdale December 21, 2009. The 30 students with the highest grade point averages from the aerospace course at Rusheon Middle School in Bossier City, La., were rewarded with a field trip to Barksdale where they got to tour the base and learn about the A-10 and B-52 Stratofortress. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Senior Airman Crystal Marie Jordan)Hi-res

Brett Barow, a flight simulator instructor for the Bossier Parish area, explains how the weapons systems on an A-10 Thunderbolt II work to his aerospace students during a base tour of the 917th Wing on Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, December 21, 2009. Barrow, a former Master Sergeant with the United States Air Force, retired out of Barksdale after 20 years of service. Barrow returned Barksdale with 32 of his students who attained the highest grade point averages from the aerospace course at Rusheon Middle School located in Bossier City, La. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Senior Airman Crystal Marie Jordan)Hi-res

Master Sgt. Kerry Rains, a jet engine mechanic for the 917th Wing on Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, answers questions about different engines and the mechanics of them during a base tour December 21, 2009. Sergeant Rains entertained 32 students who attained the highest grade point averages from the aerospace course at Rusheon Middle School in Bossier City, Louisiana, with fun facts and statistics about the different engines that pass through his maintenance shop. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Senior Airman Crystal Marie Jordan)Hi-res

Aircraft mechanics wheel away the wings of an A-10 Thunderbolt II that has been sitting in the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group "Boneyard" at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona. The wings were removed December 17, 2009, to undergo strengthening modifications as part of an A-10 wing upgrade that will increase the service life of the aircraft another 8,000 hours in the air. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III)Hi-res

The phrase originated about a decade ago during an upgrade of the aircraft's avionics system, partially because of the A-10's "Warthog" nickname. Specialists in the 309th Maintenance Wing's Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and Hill Air Force Base, Utah, install steel straps and stronger fittings to the wings that give the A-10 an additional 8,000 flying hours and extend the life of the aircraft for another 20 years, said Dave Roe, a 309th AMARG structural engineer.

"The modifications we're giving the wing will double its service life and allow it to carry the additional load the wings are expected to carry," Mr. Roe said. "By putting on these additional straps, we're basically beefing up the structure."

The A-10 is a twin-engine jet aircraft designed for close-air support of ground forces. Its main use is for ground attack against tanks, armored vehicles and installations. The aircraft flies with a range of 800 miles and with high endurance and maneuverability at low speeds and altitudes that allow accurate targeting and weapon delivery.

"Nothing else in our inventory can do the job the A-10 can do, especially in close-ground support," Mr. Roe said. "It also has a long loiter time over friendlies or over the target if necessary."

The reinforcements are intended to keep the A-10 fleet flying until the aircraft receives new wings through a contract awarded to Boeing in 2007. The contract calls for 242 new wings for installment on the thin-skinned A-10 airframes by 2011. About 100 A-10 airframes won't need new wings because they were built with a stronger "thick-skin" structure in the 1980s. Thick-skinned A-10s were rated for 16,000 flying hours, which should keep them flying until about 2030. The original A-10s were rated for 8,000 hours, but were extended with depot repairs in the 1990s. The new wings should also keep the original A-10s flying through the next 20 years.

"This is an interim fix to keep the A-10s flying while the new wings are being built," said Daryl Neel, the 309th AMARG center wing shop supervisor.

Aircraft mechanics with the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, work on upgrades to the wings of A-10 Thunderbolt IIs December 17, 2009. A-10s are undergoing a wing strengthening modification, affectionately called the "Hog Up," which will make the wings of the tank killer thicker and stronger while increasing the service life of the aircraft another 8,000 hours in the air. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III)Hi-res

Rory Bisby observes David Montano as he works inside an A-10 Thunderbolt II outer wing December 17, 2009. A-10s are undergoing a wing upgrade at the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona. The upgrade process, affectionately called the "Hog Up," will make the wings of the tank killer thicker and stronger while increasing the service life of the aircraft another 8,000 hours in the air. Mr. Bisby and Mr. Montano are aircraft structural mechanics at the 309th AMARG. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III) Hi-res

Comment: I like this unique T-Shirt of Lockheed Martin's Hog Up Field Team. Any chance to get such a piece in XL or L? If yes, I would be very happy.

12/21/2009 - WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. -- Several maintenance group Airmen won awards Dec. 5 at Hogfest, the annual award ceremony hosted at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg, Mo.

With only 17 award categories, and more than 500 maintainers, competition was stiff. Each squadron and flight nominated Airmen for quarterly awards throughout the year. Those quarterly winners then comprised the competition for the yearly Hogfest awards.

The purpose of the event is to recognize top performers and promote moral throughout the group, said Senior Master Sgt. Russell Hogan, superintendent of the Maintenance Operations Flight and Hogfest co-chair.

"It's also a time when we can socialize and get to know each other," he said.

Getting to know one another came quickly for maintainers in the 442nd that night, when they had the opportunity to share a meal, celebrate each other's awards, watch slideshows of photos from throughout the year and dance after the awards ceremony.

Four new categories were added to this year's list of awards.

"The maintenance group has grown due to the number of planes and we wanted to reflect that," Sergeant Hogan said. "For example, we thought specialist flight should get its own category because it grew by quite a few people."

Other new awards categories included Maintenance Backshop Enlisted Member of the Year and Outstanding Traditional Reservist of the Year.

"Sometimes a (traditional reservist) does not have the exposure an air reserve technician or someone who is frequently on mandays does," Sergeant Hogan said, "so we wanted to recognize those people too."

The Hogfest committee and the maintenance group leadership look at nominees in several different categories and select winners based on the display of core values, willingness of Airmen to take on additional responsibilities, allowance of mentoring, and application of what he has learned, said Sergeant Hogan.

Maintainers weren't the only ones who were honored that night. A ceremony to honor prisoners of war kicked off the event with specialist flight maintainers lighting the candle and preparing the table to honor POWs.

"It gives the whole ceremony a sense of honor and tradition," said Senior Airman Samantha Lane, A-10 crew chief. "It's our duty to honor them and show respect."

The Hogfest committee worked hard to accomplish these things, according to Sergeant Hogan.

About twenty volunteers worked throughout the year to fundraise for, plan and produce the function. Sergeant Hogan said planning for Hogfest in 2010 already began several months ago.

"(Committee members) put a lot of effort forward within their own areas of responsibility and went above and beyond," he said.

In their January 2010 (Volume 11, Number 1 issue) Combat Aircraft published a news article "Idaho's Hot 'Hogs'" (eight pages). As the Idaho ANG trained hard with new capabilities and upgraded aircraft, James Haseltine was on hand to capture the action. Robert F. Dorr details the work of this unit and forthcoming plans.

Friday, December 18, 2009

Maj. Tammy Barlette, a former A-10 pilot who left active duty to fly MQ-1 Predators over Iraq and Afghanistan full time with the Air National Guard, gets familiar with an MQ-9 Reaper at Nellis AFB, Nevada. She is the first and only ANG Predator pilot to graduate from the Air Force's Weapons Instructor Course. She and three active duty Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) operators were the first to attend the rigorous weapons and tactics training program. (Courtesy photo)Hi-res

by Maj. Gabe Johnson162nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs

12/17/2009 - NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. -- An Air Guard Predator pilot marked the beginning of a new era as the first Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) pilot from the Reserve Component to graduate from the Air Force's prestigious Weapons Instructor Course, Dec. 12.

Maj. Tammy Barlette, from the Arizona Air National Guard's 214th Reconnaissance Group based at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, completed the five-and-a-half month course along with three active duty RPA pilots. They were the first to attend the school in its 60-year history.

The Weapons School, regarded as the U.S. Air Force's premier weapons and tactics training program, provides graduate-level instructor academic and flying courses. Its graduates are regarded as top authorities in their respective fields.

"I've been through a lot of training but nothing as difficult as this," said Major Barlette, a former A-10 pilot who left active duty to fly MQ-1 Predators over Iraq and Afghanistan full time with the Guard.

"The course is intended to make you the best instructor you can be for your squadron, weapon system and the Air Force. They teach you how to get to the root of a problem and find solutions," she said. "It's constant studying, briefing and flying."

Within the first month she had to get qualified to fly the MQ-9 Reaper. The course requires RPA pilots to have dual qualification in both the Predator and Reaper so that they can routinely fly training missions with various platforms to include A-10s, F-15s and F-16s.

The school, initially created for fighter pilots, now integrates Airmen from 22 different aircraft and specialties. The addition of RPAs is an indication of their value in current conflicts, and the need for their inclusion in the broader Air Force mission.

"Our training was focused on preparation for the next conflict," said the major. "The course taught us to keep a focus on the future so that, when required, a vast array of weapon systems can integrate in any number of situations. I feel like I have a better grasp of how all of these capabilities compliment each other, and I think officers from other Air Force communities got a better understanding of what RPAs bring to the fight."

Back at her unit, Major Barlette will be her commander's resident expert and will be relied upon to teach fellow Predator pilots how to improve operations.

"Everyone else in the unit will be marching behind her so we can learn how to better serve our customers; the troops on the ground," said Lt. Col. Randy Inman, 214th commander.

"We're very proud to have Tammy represent our unit, the state and the Air National Guard," said Colonel Inman. "We recognize the historic significance of her accomplishment, and I know it was one that did not come without personal sacrifice."

One year ago Barlette was five-months pregnant with her second child when she learned of her selection to attend the school. Accepting the appointment meant she would have to leave her 1-year-old daughter and new-born son in the following July.

"I talked it over with my husband and he said, 'You have to go. We'll figure out the rest.' He was very supportive, and my parents, who live in Tucson, helped us out tremendously," said Barlette.

Though Major Barlette admits the family separation was difficult, she says her new qualification as a weapons instructor will serve her and the RPA community well.

"I just wanted to go to the school to get answers. I wanted to get better and I wanted to help my squadron get better," she said.

According to the major, Weapon School patch wearers from RPA units across the country will enjoy the added benefit of being able to cross check ideas with each other.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Just found today by searching Google for pictures of the GAU-8/A Avenger cannon:

When the battle with Skorponok gets too out of hand for Captain Lennox (Josh Duhamel) and his men, they call in air support and within minutes A-10 Thunderbolt II "Warthog" planes come flying in, firing their GAU-8/A Avenger Gatling Guns. Even the 30mm armor piercing depleted uranium rounds do little on Skorponok, and thus greater firepower is asked of.

A-10 Thunderbolt II "Warthogs" fly to save Cpt. Lennox and his men. Note the GAU-8/A Avenger sticking out from between the shark's teeth.Full size

Master Sgt. Mark Klaudt, a Phase Dock Mechanic with the 124th Maintenance Squadron, explains the workings of the A-10's GAU-8A Avenger canon to senior leaders of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces December 6, 2009, in the A-10 Maintenance Hangar. The Cambodians were visiting Gowen Field as part of the National Guard Bureau's State Partnership Program. Note: Visible are A-10s 78-0653 (foreground) and 80-0191 (background). (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt Heather Walsh)Hi-res

by Tech. Sgt. Sarah Pokorney124th Wing Public Affairs

12/15/2009 - GOWEN FIELD, Boise, Idaho -- Senior leaders from the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces visited Air National Guard facilities here as part of the National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program Dec. 6.

The group of 10 delegates spent four days in the Boise area meeting with local Army and Air National Guard leaders to develop cooperation and mutual understanding of our cultures and our military capabilities.

"This program allows the Cambodian Ministry of Defense to understand how you organize forces and maintain equipment," said Col. Savoeun, a Cambodian delegate from command headquarters.

The Air National Guard facility and mission tour started with a welcome briefing at the 190th Fighter Squadron by Lt. Col. Ryan Odneal. He welcomed the delegation and provided a brief history of the 190th. He went on to explain how the 190th proudly claims the title of the world's best A-10 squadron as reigning champions of the Hawgsmoke bi-annual A-10 competition.

On the first stop of the tour three of the delegates took the controls in the A/OA-10 Full Mission Trainer while the others looked on intently. They were able to see the Idaho landscape in the simulation including Lucky Peak reservoir and Bronco Stadium on the Boise State University campus.

Lt. Col. James Lawson, the 124th Maintenance Group deputy commander, led the group on to the A-10 hangar for a close-up look at the A-10 aircraft. Master Sgt. Mark Klaudt, a phase dock tactical aircraft maintenance specialist, provided a detailed overview of the aircraft. Master Sgt. Paul Nichols, an aviation technician explained the avionics, navigation and controls along with the detailed records they keep on each aircraft.

Col. Savoeun said that after the visit to Idaho the team of delegates would prepare a report detailing their observations and recommendations to present to the Cambodian Ministry of Defense to aid in their peacekeeping mission and U.N. support.

"Your organization is very strong all the way down to a tactical level. Our staff should be looking at better ways to maintain our expensive equipment for our delegation's report to our government," said Col. Savoeun.

At the Maintenance Squadron metals shop Master Sgt. Robert Garrett, the aircraft metals technology supervisor and metals tech specialists Master Sgt. Steve Nemeth and Tech. Sgt. Gregory Slater demonstrated the equipment used to machine aircraft parts. The tour made its final stop at the weapons element.

The SPP started in 1993 and couples a foreign country with a U. S. state. Today, most states have similar partnerships.

Four months ago, the Idaho National Guard formally entered a partnership with the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces. Since that time leaders from the Idaho National Guard have traveled to Cambodia. The partnership is planned to last more than 20 years.

"It gives the Cambodian Armed Forces and the kingdom of Cambodia the opportunity to develop their economic, civic and military competencies through a partnership with not only the National Guard, but the State of Idaho," said Col. Tim Kelly, SPP manager for the Idaho National Guard.

Col. Edmund D. "Ed" Walker, commander of the 917th Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base, has been nominated for promotion to the grade of brigadier general by President Barack Obama, the Department of Defense has announced. His promotion is subject to confirmation by the Senate.

A native of Houston, Walker entered the Air Force in 1978 as a Reserve Officer Training Corps graduate from Texas A&M University. He spent nine years on active duty and has been in the Air Reserve Technician program since 1988.

He also is a graduate of The Air Force's Squadron Officer School, Air Command and Staff College, Air War College and Joint Aerospace Operations Senior Staff Course, and hold a master's degree with honors in military studies-defense management from American Military University. He also was named a National Security Management Fellow this year at the Maxwell School of Syracuse University, N.Y.

Walker was commander of the famed 47th Fighter Squadron at Barksdale from January 2001 to April 2003, and was vice commander of the 917th Wing from March 2005 to January 2006. He became the wing's commander in November 2006.

Walker's wing, part of the Air Force Reserve Command, is equipped with the B-52 Stratofortress and A-10 Thunderbolt II.

He is a command pilot with more than 3,900 flight hours in the T-37 and T-38 trainers, the A-10 and A-7 fighters and the stealthy F-117 Nighthawk.

12/15/2009 - KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- The 451st Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron Maintenance Flight keeps A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft up and running, enabling them to provide close air support throughout Afghanistan by performing phase inspections after every 500 hours of flight.

These deep inspections make sure the aircraft are in the best condition possible to support the warfighter and operations here in Afghanistan.

"Every 500 hours we have to take a harder look at things that you don't normally look for during a regular preflight or basic post flight inspection," said Senior Master Sgt. David Wade, Maintenance Flight Chief.

The aircraft is removed from service, then all aircraft panels are removed. All components of the aircraft are inspected, including landing gear, engine operations, door rigs and flight controls.

Approximately 25 Airmen work two 12-hour shifts each day to complete both the look and fix phases within four to five days.

"Normally, at home, this process takes 15 calendar days, which is eight to ten duty days," said Tech. Sgt. Emery Makany, Phase Section Chief. "The fastest we've done it here has been in 55 hours flat."

The maintainers look for structural integrity, serviceability of parts, and system operation.

"We're able to put out phases in less than half the normal time because we're working around the clock," said Sergeant Wade, who also added that he'd once given a tour to a Belgium F-16 unit of the maintenance flight's operations.

They were very "impressed with our efficient processes and phase flow (four days as opposed to their standard three-week flow for an F-16)," he said.

"And it's not just our folks who work on those aircraft," he said. "We rely heavily on the armament flight, the fabrication flight, the aircraft maintenance specialists ... all of those people have a job to do on the phase."

The unit also relies on Airmen of metals technology who take care of tasks such as baring and welding; Airmen in general structures who take care of standard sheet metal and fabrication; the fuels shop that works on refueling, internal/external tanks, pressure systems, and pressurizations; the electrical and environmental team, which takes care of climate control, cabin pressurization, wiring and lighting; the avionics team which covers things such as the laser targeting pods and navigation systems; the armament shop which focuses on the GAU-8 Avenger; and also those who work on the A-10s' engine systems.

The Maintenance Flight also consists of the Repair and Reclamation shop and Crash Recovery experts who respond to in-flight emergencies and ground emergencies for coalition and U.S. forces.

"We do all the flight control ratings on all the primary flight controls," said Master Sgt. Robert Bierma, Repair and Reclamation Aero Repair Shop Section Chief. "We also rebuild and resupply supply stations with wheels on tires. We go through and remove the old skins to put new skins on, air it back up and return the tire to service."

If an aircraft comes down with an in-flight emergency or ground flight emergency, it parks on the runway as soon as possible. Once the runway shuts down, the crew responds to remove the aircraft from the runway.

"Our technical order's time frame for removing an aircraft from the runway is 10 minutes," Sergeant Bierma said, "from the time the aircraft hits the runway to when we actually hook up to it, tow it off the runway, then actually open that runway back up."

"The Repair and Reclamation shop provided top-notch support to an F-16, which recently landed on Kandahar Airfield with an engine malfunction," said Sergeant Wade. "They coordinated weapons download and towed the disabled aircraft to the phase hangar where the A-10 phase dock supported the maintenance recovery team."

The aircraft was fully mission capable within less than 24 hours.

"The Maintenance Flight is a team of first-rate Air Force professionals and I am lucky and proud to have served with them," Sergeant Wade said, who is deployed from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas.

With the exception of Sergeant Wade, members of the Maintenance Flight are deployed from Davis-Monthan, Ariz., where civilians are generally the source of expertise in the maintenance flight. The Airmen most often help these civilians rather than run the maintenance areas themselves as they do here.

Here, the team consists of mostly young Airmen with an average of four to six years of total Air Force time.

"At homestation we have more 7-levels and a whole crew of civilians with combined experience of over 200 years," he said. "What we're doing here is really quite amazing considering all the experience level of all the guys we've had."

He also described his Airmen as being very motivated, and "just couldn't wait to get over here to get the job done."

"Motivation is insane," he said. "A lot of these guys are first-time deployers. We may have three veterans of deployments. They're not terribly experienced, but that's the nature of the beast. Sink or swim. And they jumped in head first and really started swimming. Everything they were weak in, they learned to improve on. Everything they didn't know, they learned to do."

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- Senior Airman David English installs a left rudder actuator on an A-10 Thunderbolt II here, December 10, 2009. The left rudder actuator is a device that controls the rear flaps. Airman English is a crew chief with the 451st Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron Maintenance Flight from Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Timothy Taylor)Hi-res

Monday, December 14, 2009

The Air Force's cargo crews, civil engineers and trainers can expect a busy 2010 as part of President Barack Obama's decision to ratchet up the war.

And JTACs, joint terminal attack controllers, will see a lot of action in their work with soldiers and Marines.

Right now, about 6,000 airmen are in Afghanistan, and 28,000 are deployed with U.S. Central Command, many of whom fly or assist with daily missions flown into the landlocked country.

The Air Force moves troops in and out of the country and delivers supplies to them — and that role will grow with the buildup.

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz sees hauling duties as a challenge but not one that airmen can’t handle.

"I don't think transportation will be the limiting factor," Schwartz told a business gathering Dec. 3 in New York City. "It will be a tough haul, but not a limitation."

As Schwartz addressed publicly Obama's plan to deploy 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan, commanders at Air Forces Central Command, U.S. Central Command and U.S. Transportation Command worked on how and when troops will be moved in.

Calculations on airlift and support requirements will not be made until after the Pentagon issues a detailed deployment plan and schedule that should be available in mid-December, said Army Brig. Gen. Michael Lally, TransCom director of operations.

"It is a little early to tell until we have the specifics," said Maj. Gen. Mark Solo, head of Air Mobility Command's Tanker Airlift Control Center.

Who's goingUnlike the Army and Marine Corps, which deploy entire units, the Air Force deploys airmen from across the service. If additional security forces are needed, airmen from several base security forces squadrons will come together as an "expeditionary" security forces squadron.

Previous surges into Iraq and Afghanistan created demands for airmen in ground support roles that haven't slowed. The demands pushed the Air Force to increase deployment times and frequency. Today, 50 percent of deployed airmen are on six-month or longer tours.

If the career fields needed to support the upcoming surge mirror the previous surges, airmen in base support, intelligence, communications and security will be called up.

In the past year, five of the 20 Air Force Specialty Codes with the longest average deployments were enlisted civil engineering specialties: pavement, electrical, engineering, heating/air conditioning and water/fuel systems.

Enlisted security forces airmen deployed the most: 10,452 were gone for an average of 120 days.

Among officers, the top 20 included logistics readiness, civil engineer, communications, contracting, force support [personnel, services and manpower] and officers serving as instructors.

What's flyingWhen Obama sent 16,000 additional troops to Afghanistan earlier this year, the Air Force added fighters and transports.

The service sent an F-16 Fighting Falcon squadron to Bagram Air Field and shifted A-10 Thunderbolt operations from Bagram to Kandahar Airfield to fly close-air support. An F-15E Strike Eagle squadron stayed at Bagram.

A second C-130 Hercules squadron deployed to Kandahar. The C-130 squadron at Bagram stayed put. Both focus much of their time on airdropping supplies to forward bases too dangerous to reach by road.

Smaller units were also stood up: MQ-1 Predator operations at the Army's Jalalabad Airfield in eastern Afghanistan, HH-60G Pave Hawks flying out of Camp Bastion Airfield in southern Afghanistan's Helmand province and an aerial port operation set up at Bastion to support aircraft arriving with gear for the adjacent growing Marine base at Camp Leatherneck.

The new aircraft and airmen resulted in the standing up of a second wing in Afghanistan, the 451st Air Expeditionary Wing.

Though the Air Force refused to discuss what additional aircraft will be needed for the surge, it has identified fighter squadrons on call to deploy from January through April.

The Air Force has not identified which airlift and tanker squadrons are on notice for deployments in early 2010.

Instructions went out to airlift wings, however, to be prepared if orders come in December to begin moving troops, according to Solo, the tanker airlift chief. It takes as few as four days to have additional crews and planes headed overseas.

Solo doesn't expect the Air Force to establish more large air hubs because it is already flying out of all the airfields with runways and infrastructure able to handle cargo planes such as the C-17.

The Air Force could help stand up smaller airfields aimed at handling lighter planes such as C-130s, Solo said. Airmen are already in Afghanistan sizing up potential sites as part of joint assessment teams.

Solo and TransCom officials pointed to the 16,000-troop buildup earlier this year as an example of how the new surge will work.

Almost all the troops were airlifted into Afghanistan on Air Force C-17s after flying to the region on commercial flights from their home bases. About 20 percent of the cargo was flown in on military and commercial planes. The rest of the cargo was trucked into Afghanistan.

Moving those 16,000 troops required Air Force and commercial cargo planes to deliver 5,300 tons of gear, the equivalent of up to 315 C-17 flights, TransCom figures showed. Flying the passengers required about another 90 C-17 flights into Afghanistan.

While most of the Air Force flights were done with aircraft already deployed to the Persian Gulf and central Asia, Solo said, the Air Force did temporarily assign C-17s to ferry some cargo such as Army Strykers that had been shipped by sea to the airfield at the Navy's Indian Ocean base on Diego Garcia.

UAVs and ISRThe Air Force has been expanding its intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations since 2007, according to the service's top ISR official.

"We've been surging for two years now," Lt. Gen. David Deptula, deputy chief of staff for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, told a Dec. 2 gathering of the Air Force Association.

The service now flies 39 round-the-clock MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper combat patrols over Iraq and Afghanistan, an increase of 15 patrols in the past eight months. The Air Force, however, refuses to break down how many of the patrols are over each country.

Troops in Afghanistan will see more reconnaissance aircraft, including the MC-12W; the first is scheduled to arrive this month, with 23 more due by September.

Nine MC-12Ws flying over Iraq could be transferred to Afghanistan. The 362nd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron flew the 1,000th MC-12W combat sortie in November — five months after the first MC-12W arrived in Iraq.

Deptula said he is worried the service would soon be "swimming in sensors … drowning in data" once Reapers equipped with the Gorgon Stare sensor arrive.

The first four Gorgon Stares will deploy aboard MQ-9 Reapers in April. The wide-area sensor can photograph an 8-kilometer-wide circle underneath the Reaper from 12 angles.

Note: According to this news article, the 75th Fighter Squadron, 23rd Fighter Group, 23rd Wing, Moody AFB, Georgia, has been identified by USAF to deploy on call for Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) to Afghanistan from January through April, 2009. On the other hand, the 188th Fighter Wing (Arkansas Air National Guard), Fort Smith, is preparing to deploy elements of their 184th Fighter Squadron to Afghanistan in Spring 2010.

Originally, a change of A-10s and personnel at Bagram AB, Afghanistan, was expected as part of USAF's AEF 1/2 (Cycle 8) rotation (September - December 2009). As Stars and Stripes reported earlier this year, elements of the 81st Fighter Squadron, 52nd Fighter Wing (USAFE), Spangdahlem AB, Germany, with at least twelve of their upgraded A-10Cs were scheduled to deploy as 81st Expeditionary Fighter Squadron for this rotation. But instead of that, in July 2009, elements of the 354th Fighter Squadron, 355th Fighter Wing (ACC), Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, deployed with 12 A-10Cs as 354th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron to Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, as part of a new-activated 451st Air Expeditionary Wing (formerly the 451st Air Expeditionary Group). According to news sources, this will be a six-month deployment.

Meanwhile I understand: The A-10 mission at Bagram AB was shifted to Kandahar AF to make room for USAF F-16C Fighting Falcons ("Vipers") at Bagram AB, allongside the F-15E Strike Eagles.

Scheduling conflicts have resulted in a cancellation of the Fort Smith Air Show, according to a statement from the 188th Fighter Wing.

The unit released the following statement Friday (Dec. 11):

FORT SMITH, Ark. – Scheduling conflicts combined with an increasingly arduous training and inspection schedule over the next year has prompted Fort Smith Air Show officials to cancel the 2010 event, which was originally slated for June 26-27.

The 188th Fighter Wing is scheduled for an upcoming Aerospace Expeditionary Force (AEF) rotation in Afghanistan in spring 2010. The 188th will deploy approximately 300 personnel and 10 of its 21 A-10C Thunderbolt II "Warthogs" to Afghanistan.

The 188th is also tasked with multiple Operational Readiness Exercises in preparation for an upcoming Operational Readiness Inspection. Additional 12th Air Force Standard and Evaluation inspections will require further training.

The 188th's busy itinerary limited the amount of dates available to secure a headline performer as in past air shows. Air show officials decided it would be in the best interest of the community to cancel the 2010 event rather than proceed without a headline act.

The air show is held at the 188th Fighter Wing and Fort Smith Regional Airport. It garnered a record turnout in 2008 with approximately 200,000 attending the event, which featured the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds.

"The 188th and the Fort Smith Regional Airport have had the privilege to host one of the nation's best air shows for many years," said Col. Tom Anderson, 188th Fighter Wing commander. "We've had the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, the U.S. Navy's Blue Angels, U.S. Army's Golden Knights and many of the world's finest civilian air show performers over the years.

"But an intense inspection schedule and an AEF deployment to Afghanistan left us with a small number of dates to schedule a headline act. The 188th and the Community Council are very appreciative of the overwhelming positive response we have received over the years as a result of our air shows. The community's support has helped make the Fort Smith Air Show one of the best in the country and we felt like Fort Smith deserved a headline act."

Officials from the 188th Fighter Wing-Fort Chaffee Community Council said the event will be tentatively rescheduled for 2011 but no dates have been set. Air show officials will release the dates as soon as they become available.

188th Calls Off Air Show

The Fort Smith Air Show originally scheduled for June 26-27, has been canceled.

A news release issued Friday by the 188th Fighter Wing cited the reasons as "scheduling conflicts combined with an increasingly arduous training and inspection schedule over the next year."

When the show dates were originally announced in September, officials said the June dates were picked with attention to the Fighter Wing's schedule. The show was to follow the 188th's return from deployment to Afghanistan and precede inspections slated in the late summer and fall.

The 188th Fighter Wing is scheduled for an upcoming Aerospace Expeditionary Force rotation in Afghanistan in the spring. The 188th will deploy about 300 personnel and 10 of its 21 A-10C Thunderbolt II "Warthogs" to Afghanistan.

The 188th also is tasked with multiple Operational Readiness Exercises in preparation for an upcoming Operational Readiness Inspection. Additional 12th Air Force Standard and Evaluation inspections will require further training.

The release explained that the limited number of available dates made it impossible to secure a headline performer as in past air shows. Air show officials decided it would be in the best interest of the community to cancel the 2010 event rather than proceed without a headline act.

The 2008 air show, held at the 188th Fighter Wing and Fort Smith Regional Airport, attracted about 200,000.

The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds appeared at that show. Other earlier shows have featured U.S. Navy's Blue Angels, U.S. Army's Golden Knights and many of the world's finest civilian air show performers over the years.

Col. Tom Anderson, 188th Fighter Wing commander, said given overwhelming community support for the shows, "We felt like Fort Smith deserved a headline act."

The free shows have provided an economic boost to the community, generating tourism dollars in entertainment, dining and lodging.

Dr. Jerry Stewart, head of the Fort Chaffee Community Council, a citizens organization that co-sponsors the show with the 188th, said the cancellation is "a huge disappointment."

If there are any advantages to a delay, Stewart said they may be that the 188th will now have more time to recover upon their return from Afghanistan.

"Perhaps in the long run it's not so bad," he said.

Officials from the 188th Fighter Wing-Fort Chaffee Community Council said the event will be tentatively rescheduled for 2011, but no dates have been set.

Air show officials will release the dates as soon as they become available.

Sunday, December 13, 2009

This impressive video clip was uploaded on YouTube December 13, 2009, and linked by the author on German FlugzeugForum on the same day. Involved are unidentified A-10S from the 81st Fighter Squadron, 52nd Fighter Wing, Spangdahlem AB, Germany, which fired the GAU-8/A Avenger cannon and also dropped BDU-33 practice bombs. Please enjoy.

Saturday, December 12, 2009

This impressive video clip was uploaded on YouTube December 10, 2009, and linked by the author on German FlugzeugForum on the same day. Involved are unidentified A-10s from the 81st Fighter Squadron, 52nd Fighter Wing, Spangdahlem AB, Germany, which fired the GAU-8/A Avenger cannon. Please enjoy.

Friday, December 11, 2009

Transcript: On December 6, 2009, Santa Claus made a special visit at Selfridge Air National Guard base, for the 107th Fighter Squadron's annual Holiday party. Children of unit members had the opportunity to talk to Santa on the radio, before his arrival in an A-10 Thunderbolt that afternoon. On the flight line, Santa was welcomed by dozens of very excited children. During his visit, Santa wished everyone Happy Holidays and passed out gifts he brought with him to the children at the party, before he returned to the North Pole in his aircraft. For the 127th Wing, I'm Airman Rachel Barton.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

FORT SMITH, Ark. - Maj. Jay Spohn, an A-10C Thunderbolt II "Warthog" pilot with the 188th Fighter Wing, Arkansas Air National Guard, based in Fort Smith, Ark., taxis down the ramp following his final flight as a member of the 188th November 23, 2009. Spohn was the only Air National Guard pilot to be selected to fly the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter in the program's initial cadre. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Master Sgt. Dennis Brambl)Hi-res

FORT SMITH, Ark. - Maj. Jay Spohn waves to a gathering of family and friends following his final flight. He piloted A-10 79-0129 from the 184th Fighter Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Master Sgt. Dennis Brambl)Hi-res

FORT SMITH, Ark. - A gathering of family and friends awaits the arrival of Maj. Jay Spohn following his final flight. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Master Sgt. Dennis Brambl)Hi-res

Dedicated in Love

This blog is dedicated to Marina Naumann, my latest female partner who died after incurable pancreas cancer on June 17, 2010, just only a half year after diagnosis. Marina was the second true wife in my life, and she always supported my long-year enthusiastic research work on the Hog, especially since the beginning of operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Rest in peace, Marina.